[lit-ideas] Re: The Essence of This
- From: Donal McEvoy <donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2004 09:27:49 +0100 (BST)
--- Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
>
> In a message dated 10/4/2004 2:57:49 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> rmitchell@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> Donal is "rooting for anti-essentialism"
>
> - on a computer presumably purchased with an eye towards its power, speed,
> memory, durability, etc., etc.
>
> - the "virtues" (i.e., "excellences") that determine how well that device
> performs the functions that he bought it for.
>
> In that respect, I don't know how one would anti-essentially purchase
> anything.
>
> ----
>
> Exactly. Note that a computer, essentially, computes.
No, it doesn't - not anymore than we might say a computer "essentially"
remains in stand-by mode, or switched off at night, or in a skip or rubbish
heap when it is junked, or "essentially" excites the wrath of the user to the
point they want to kick its windscreen in.
> While a word-processor word-processes (words).
Not anymore than it "essentially" reflects light, costs money, will break
down eventually etc.
> (cf. McEvoy's irreverent, "A philosopher bullshits").
>
> McEvoy, like Popper, does not believe in _essences_. In this, he reminds me
>
> of Andy Amago, who, too, says that life is meaningless.
Never have I suggested that life is meaningless. F--king close sometimes. But
not meaningless.
Donal
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